Processor-based systems, such as personal computers, typically include a motherboard on which a main processor and memory are disposed. Additionally, the motherboard includes a number of slots into which peripherals, or devices, may be installed, for instance, as add-in cards. For example, a personal computer may include peripherals such as a hard drive controller, a display or graphics adapter, a network adapter and a modem, each of which is usually provided by an independent hardware vendor (IHV) and each of which is installed into a slot on the motherboard or is in communication with the motherboard through other means (e.g., a cable connection).
Each peripheral associated with the processor system typically includes a memory portion, commonly referred to as an option read only memory (option-ROM) that stores configuration or operation information and data for the peripheral. Typically, user configuration of peripherals, or review of versioning information stored in the option-ROM, is available during boot up of the main processor through the use of configuration utilities associated with each peripheral. In systems of the prior art, each configuration utility is accessed by user actuation of specific key sequence that is specified by IHVs. For example, a disk drive controller IHV may enable a user to access its configuration utility to review versioning information in the option-ROM of the disk drive controller if a user presses the F1 key after the splash screen for the disk drive controller manufacturer is displayed. This splash screen is displayed to the user during initialization of the controller by the processor. Due in part to lack of standardization, it is rare that configuration information for two peripherals is accessed in the same manner. Accordingly, a user seeking to review or alter the configuration information for a peripheral must actuate the appropriate key sequence for the peripheral at a particular point in time.
As computing systems become more complex and the number of peripherals to be configured grows, more time, in aggregate, is required to allow users to access the various configuration utilities of the peripherals via hot keys. However, in many instances, operating system (OS) software vendors specify a maximum period of time, such as, for example, seven seconds, between processor power-up and when the processor begins to boot the OS. Accordingly, while there are generally more peripherals to be configured, the time allotted to access the configuration utilities of such peripherals must be fit within the required timeframe. As the number of peripherals to be configured increases and the specified time between processor power-up and OS boot stays fixed, the window of time in which a user can access the configuration information of a particular device decreases. A user desiring to configure a peripheral must watch screen messages as a system boots and intervene with the proper key sequence at the appropriate time. In practical effect, the window for actuating the proper key sequence is small and may require one or more subsequent re-boots to enable a user to actuate the appropriate key sequence within the appropriate window of time. This situation is less than optimal, as the user may become frustrated when numerous attempts are made to access the configuration information of a particular peripheral.
Since the option-ROM space is limited, the user may be required to disable some other option-ROMs or remove cards to make sure the required option-ROM can actually run.